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| Chandler succeeding in Dallas. Photo Credit: Matthew Emmons/USA Today Sports |
He has carved out a very successful NBA career so far, but how did Tyson Chandler get to this point? We take a look back at his journey to the NBA.
By: Da’Vince “Dino” Wright
Career Information
Tyson Chandler
No. 6 – Dallas Mavericks Position: Center
League: NBA
Personal information: Born: October 2, 1982 (age 32)
Home city/state: Hanford, California
Listed height: 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m)
Listed weight: 240 lb (109 kg)
Career information: High school Dominguez (Compton, California)
NBA draft
2001 / Round: 1 / Pick: 2nd overall
Selected by the Los Angeles Clippers
Pro career: 2001–present
Career history
2001–2006 Chicago Bulls
2006–2009 New Orleans Hornets
2009–2010 Charlotte Bobcats
2010–2011 Dallas Mavericks
2011–2014 New York Knicks
2014–present - Dallas Mavericks
Tyson Cleotis Chandler (born October 2, 1982) is an American professional basketball center with the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Chandler was the second overall pick of the 2001 NBA draft by the Los Angeles Clippers, and then was immediately traded to the Chicago Bulls.
He has also played for the New Orleans Hornets, Charlotte Bobcats, and New York Knicks. As starting center for Dallas, he played an integral role in the franchise's first NBA championship in 2011. He was also a member of the United States men's national basketball team's gold medal runs in the 2010 FIBA World Championship and the 2012 Summer Olympics.
Chandler was born to Frank Chandler and Vernie Threadgill, though he did not meet his father Frank until later in his life. He grew up in a family farm in Hanford, California, just south of Fresno, California. Chandler began playing basketball at three years old on a basket Chandler's grandfather, Cleotis, fixed on a tree. Chandler grew up doing farm work such as milking cows, sloping pigs, and cultivating crops.
At nine years old, Chandler and his mother moved to San Bernardino, California; he was already nearly six feet tall. As a child, Chandler was teased because of his height; children on his school basketball team joked that he was older than he really was, and that he had been left back several times in school.
Chandler and his family then moved to Compton, California, where he enrolled at Dominguez High School, a school known for its athletics, producing basketball players such as Dennis Johnson and Cedric Ceballos. In his freshman year, Chandler made the varsity team and played with future NBA player Tayshaun Prince (who plays for the Memphis Grizzlies), who was then a senior.
With the Dominguez Dons, Chandler became a teenage sensation; current players such as DeMar DeRozan watched him play and claimed "he was like Shaq". Detroit Pistons guard Brandon Jennings, who was a ball boy for Dominguez at the time, said, "You'd see the girls around Tyson, the Escalade he drove, and you wanted to be like him,"[3]
Chandler earned accolades from Parade Magazine and USA Today, and was selected to the McDonald's High School All-America Team. As a freshman, he was profiled on current affairs TV program 60 Minutes.
In his junior year, Chandler averaged 20 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 blocks. In his senior year, Chandler led Dominguez to a state championship and a 31-4 record, averaging 26 points, 15 boards, and 8 blocks a game.[2] Chandler was recruited by several universities and considered UCLA, Arizona, Syracuse, Memphis, Kentucky and Michigan. Chandler then declared for the 2001 NBA Draft as a prep-to-pro.
Tyson's impact with the Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks became NBA Champions 2011 with the help from Tyson. While anchoring a stingy defense Tyson made Second Team All NBA averaging 10.1 points, 9 rebounds and 2 blocks respectively.
After winning the title Tyson tested the free agent market and was signed by the New York Knicks. Dallas began to struggle in the middle at the center/power forward spot. Instantly, Dallas went from a strong defensive team to soft in the middle.
By twist of faith Dallas acquired Tyson in a 5 player trade and he came back. On June 25, 2014, Chandler, along with Raymond Felton, was traded to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Shane Larkin, Wayne Ellington, José Calderón, Samuel Dalembert, and two second round picks in the 2014 NBA draft.
The move reunited Chandler with teammates Dirk Nowitzki, and later J. J. Barea, as well as Coach Rick Carlisle, who were all part of the Mavericks title team in the 2010–11 NBA season. Now, Dallas is an instant contender coming out of the Western Conference this year. “No more easy layups in the middle anymore, we have the enforcer to change shots and rebound!” says Mark Cuban.
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